Aerobic Endurance Fitness Training

Aerobic endurance, also known as cardiovascular endurance, is an essential component of physical fitness. It refers to your heart and lungs' ability to deliver oxygen and other nutrients to your body. Regularly participating in aerobic exercises can help you improve your aerobic fitness and your health.

Types

Aerobic exercise includes activities that use your large muscle groups for a sustained period of time. Some examples of popular aerobic exercises include brisk walking, running, cycling and swimming. The American College of Sports Medicine, or ACSM, recommends that these activities be included as part of your regular exercise routine. It suggests choosing aerobic activities that you enjoy to increase your chances of staying consistent with your exercise routine.

Benefits

As you regularly participate in aerobic exercise, your heart and lungs become more efficient. This means your heart can pump more blood with each beat and increase blood flow throughout your body. MayoClinic.com reports that regular aerobic exercise can help you control your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, which lowers your risk for developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes. It can also help you stay at or reach a healthy weight and improve feelings of anxiety and depression.

Frequency

The ACSM recommends doing aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes on four or more days each week to improve your aerobic fitness and to gain the health benefits associated with exercise. It suggests that 60 minutes or more may be necessary for long-term success with weight loss. You can do aerobic exercise all in one exercise session or in shorter sessions throughout the day lasting at least 10 minutes. Your aerobic exercise sessions should always begin and end with a warm-up and cool-down.

Intensity

The intensity of your aerobic activity is important and refers to how hard you are exercising. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends exercising at a moderate pace, or an intensity that noticeably increases your heart rate and breathing, but still allows you to carry on a conversation. Another way to estimate your intensity is by estimating your target heart rate. You can do this by subtracting your age from 220. The result will be your estimated maximum heart rate. Your target heart rate should be between 50 and 70 percent of your maximum heart rate.